Getty Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn battles Anthony Davis during Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Finals against the LA Lakers.
Kendrick Nunn appeared in 123 games for the Miami Heat from 2019 to 2021. Flash forward to now, more than eight months after he made the decision to move westward and join the Lakers, and those 123 games still represent the entirety of his recorded career.
Nunn was expected to play a major role for Los Angeles this season. Instead, he spent the year on the shelf when a bone bruise in his knee failed to heal properly. He was said to be nearing a return at multiple points but, ultimately, his rehab went about as well as his team’s season on the court.
Nevertheless, the 26-year-old’s exploits as a floor general during his South Beach run offer hope that he’ll get back to making waves on the hardwood once he returns.
And we now know which team he’ll be making his comeback with, not that it’s much of a surprise.
Nunn Exercises His 2022-23 Option With Lakers
During his Lakers exit interview earlier this week, Nunn revealed that he would be exercising his contract option for the 2022-23 season (worth $5.25 million). “Knowing that I just took this entire year off, I mean, it’s a no-brainer for me to opt-in,” he told the assembled media.
It’s difficult to say exactly what Nunn’s role with the Lakers will be in his return. As it stands, Russell Westbrook is still the Lakers’ starting point-man. However, the former NBA MVP had a rough go this season and has maintained a constant presence in trade rumors.
That said, there’s a chance that finding a taker for his massive contract is a fool’s errand.
Regardless of what happens with Westbrook, though, Nunn is ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure that he’s in the right condition physically to be a contributor for the Lakers in ’22-23.
“I feel pretty healthy now and I’ll definitely take this summer to do my work and be prepared for next season,” he said.
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Join Heavy on Heat!Preaching Patience
While his up-and-down recovery process continues to be a source of angst for himself, the Lakers organization and its fans, Nunn stressed that he’s not looking to force anything.
“I got a lot of feedback throughout the year, whether that’s fans or peers, asking when I’m going to be back, just trying to rush that process,” Nunn said. “And that’s one thing that you can’t and shouldn’t do. I can’t rush my body to heal faster than it naturally does, so I just had to accept that and be as patient as possible with it.
Nunn averaged 15.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 45.8% overall and 36.4% from deep over two years with the Heat. However, the team rescinded his qualifying offer last summer after completing its sign-and-trade deal for Kyle Lowry.
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